Cutting wall studs to fit a sloped ceiling

[crokett]

I need to cut some wall studs to fit a sloped ceiling. Tom Silva on TOH had a trick I saw where he had a sloped floor. He made some measurements ganged 6 or 8 2x4s together, drew a line across them, cut to the line and they all came out perfect match to the slope w/o having to measure each one. I can't remember the details. Any ideas on what he did?

[LarryG]

I don't recall seeing that, but if you gang studs together and mark the shortest length on the first one, and the longest length on the last one, connect the dots, and cut each to that line, they will each be the correct length when you spread them out ... PROVIDED the slope is constant from point A to point B.

[pelligrini]

LarryG's solution will work, but be sure to account for the spacing. Doing it his way will mean that the studs are spaced equally. You want to measure the smallest and longest lengths at where your stud spacing corresponds to, otherwise sheathing or drywall might be difficult.

[crokett]

This assumes all the studs are spaced equally, 16" OC. How would you account for spacing anyway? I mean assuming the wall were 8' long, 16" OC with 2" of slope, would you just gang 7 studs together, cut 1 side 2" shorter than the other and the ones in the middle will magically fit at 16" intervals?

[LarryG]

I mean assuming the wall were 8' long, 16" OC with 2" of slope, would you just gang 7 studs together, cut 1 side 2" shorter than the other and the ones in the middle will magically fit at 16" intervals?

Yep -- again, assuming that the slope is constant between the two extremes. If you have a hump in the floor (or ceiling: whichever has the slope you're trying to follow), it won't work.

Pelligrini is correct about not disregarding the spacing. Do your layouts on your plates and take both the "short" and the "long" stud dimensions at locations where those studs will actually occur along the wall. Also, when I said to "cut to that line," I mean you should cut the end of the stud off square at the point where the line crosses either the edge or the centerline of the stud (whichever you prefer working to). As long as your slope is not extreme, that'll be plenty close enough for rough framing. If your slope IS extreme, figure out the pitch with a speed square and then mark the actual cut line at that pitch.

Either way ... when you spread the studs out to 16" OC, they'll be the right lengths.

This is an elementary framing technique that is much harder to explain in words than do. Draw it out on paper and you'll see how it works.

[pelligrini]

I think Larry explained the spacing thing well enough.

I learned by experience. I was framing the back sloped wall of my 5' wide wood-storage addition. Took my short measurement, then the long one, clamped 4 of them & drew a line, then cut 'em. When I started placing the cut studs where they were supposed to be spaced I realised my geometical miscalculation. I wanted 24"oc off one end not 20"oc for the whole thing. Even with that little 5' wall I had to waste 1 stud and recut 2.

[cabinetman]

Some times those seemingly nifty tricks don't work out. If this is to be a stand up wall, with a top and bottom plate, a slight differential in cutting the angles of all may not allow a good fit on one or more of the intermediary studs.

My method is likely old fashioned and may seem time consuming but it works every time. No tricks, just plain carpentry. I cut the bottom plate the length of the wall. I measure the short and the tall heights. I lay out the top plate according to the two heights, and mark for the short and tall studs, and cut the angle. For whatever spacing I want between studs, I cut two spacers. I then lay out the studs with the top plate as a guide and mark the verticals and cut.
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